Aureliano Amadei is invited to go to Iraq as an assistant director. Shortly after his arrival at the italian military base in Nassyria a terror attack happens with a huge explosion that kills 18 Italians and wounds, among others Aureliano himself, who is heavily limping to this day as a consequence. This may well be the only case in the entire history of cinema in which an explosion is reproduced for the screen by a film director who was almost killed by the explosion itself. The scene of the explosion is unlike anything else I have ever seen and, by itself, it would be a good enough reason to watch the movie. But the entire film is a first hand look at war and at the rest of an injured person's life.